Abraham's Pool & Harran - photos

Harran (the biblical Haran, it's thought) is where Abraham moved and lived for years.

Photos from Sacred Pool of Abraham (Gölbasi), in Urfa (formerly Ur, it's said, and then named Edessa by Alexander). Roadsigns say "Sanliurfa" ("Glorious Urfa") for its role in the 1923 revolution.

A cave in the city is considered Abraham's birthplace. The Pool is in front of Halil Rahman Mosque, one of several, and is a pilgrimage site, a beautiful and calming respite from the city's heavy and aggressive auto traffic, as the pictures indicate.

VIDEOCLIP - A Turkish wedding banquet with music and dancing, enjoyed at the Harran Hotel in Urfa (with the swimming pool).

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NOT this pool, which is the pool at Harran Hotel in Urfa (Sanliurfa)

Street grillers, with Turkey's rich tomatos (and peppers?)

Remains of fortress above, seen from Abraham's Pool area

The mosque and pool , the carp in it are considered sacred.

Rizvaniye Camii - visitors feed the carp there.

The area is a mixture of Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic cultures.

The Southeastern area of Turkey is more traditional.

The pilgrimage has its social aspects too.

Even in the southeast, women may dress less tradtionally now.

The colors are striking.

Leaving the site

While the woman is probably there for religious reasons,the young boy is interested in photographing the sacred carp.

This is an enthuisastic tourism trainee.

Closer up

Here he's with his mentor in the training program.

I lost the guard's e-mail, alas.

From Roman fortress at Harran (old Haran, where Abraham lived)

Adnen in front of a Beehive-style mud brick home (cool on a hot day!)

Harran (biblical 'Haran') is predominantly Armenian and was once a bustling metropolis,
culturally advanced with a reknown university, but Mongol invaders leveled the place.